Sports Medicine Tips by Dr. K

Ed Kornoelje, DOMetro Health Sports Medicine

What Is Ferritin (and Why Should You Care)?

If you have spent any time running or with runners you may have heard the term ferritin being used and wondered what it means. Even in the medical community there is ongoing discussion and debate as to what significance this blood level has with respect to endurance athletes. Simply put ferritin is the protein bound iron stored in your body (liver, spleen and bone marrow in particular). The not so simple part is identifying what a low ferritin level means, and if it is important what level does it need to be. Let me say this right off the bat: ferritin is important in endurance athletes; knowing your number may be as important as any training plan you are following; and ferritin should be checked at least yearly. Read more.

What To Do When The Weather Warms Up

We’ve covered more than a few events already this summer and many of them have had the same theme—heat! While there may be some cooler stretches now and then, there will be hot weather as well. Here are a few things to keep in mind in the warmer weather: Read More

Running in Cold Weather - Anything New?

Polar Vortex III? I don’t know if this winter qualifies as the third polar vortex in the last four years, but we have had a good dose of winter weather already this year. So is there anything new this year to help keep runners warm and safe during winter runs? For the most part tried and true still works—here are a few things that I have tried (along with some info from Runner’s World magazine) that may help your winter running. All temperatures are in Fahrenheit. Read More

Course Correction

Have you ever looked back at where you came from and wondered “how did I get so far off course?” It may be a literal (like in a run or hike) or figurative (as in life). Many times when you retrace your steps you realize that while your most recent path is pretty good, one right angle turn at the beginning sent you in the entirely wrong direction. You have been in fact zigging and zagging at the right times, you are just doing it 90 degrees off course. Many times you feel like you have failed miserably because you are far from where you thought we would be. Read More

Pardon Me!

Pardon me—this will not be my typical running article. Training for he Fifth Third River Bank Run 25K is underway (gulp), and we are just getting into winter! (By the way, there will be more on winter running coming soon)! So where am I going with this one? Pardon me one more time—no hints! Read More

Be Smart to Stay Safe

There has been a shift in the types of athletes I’ve been seeing in the office lately—more broken or twisted body parts from football, volleyball and soccer players, and fewer runners with sore legs and feet. This is the “quiet time” in the weeks leading up to big races—this time of year around here it is Chicago, Detroit or (my fave) the Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon. Runners have trained for weeks and months, and are ignoring the things they would normally go to the doctor for. The last thing they want to hear right now is “You are injured—you cannot run!” Here are a few things to keep in mind leading up to your race. Read More

Maybe its a "You" Thing OR Eliminate the Hate

Compete: strive to gain or win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others who are trying to do the same. While one can compete in many areas of life, we often view competition through the lens of athletics—as participants, spectators and coaches. One thought notably absent from the definition is how the competing is done, namely the attitude of the competitor. And while one can compete with any sort of attitude, I submit competition is a lot more rewarding when there is a little fun involved. Read More

Is 80/20 Right For You?

Does changing ones mind constitute flip-flopping or evolving? Depending on the situation (and often the point of view) it may be either. Also, is it possible more than one position may be correct? When it comes to training, I submit that while there are some principles that hold true over time, evolution does occur, there are several methods that are valid, and circumstances surrounding the trainee often dictate which method may work best. In short there are multiple ways to train, and it is OK to adjust when necessary. Read More

What Do You Think About Three?

Last time we reviewed the 80/20 method of training and how to run safely 5 or 6 days a week. This time I want to revisit a question posed to me several years ago: Can running only three days a week be an acceptable or even better way to train? This is an ongoing discussion—the balance between running enough to get in shape and perform well and running too many miles which may put too much stress on your body. In this article we will look at why and how three days per week of running may be the way to go for some, and what EVERYONE can do if injuries are starting to pop up or time is becoming an issue no matter what type of program is being used. Read More

Rules for First Timers

I hope your training is going well. It’s less than two months until the Fifth Third River Bank Run. If this is your first River Bank Run (or race for that matter), here are a few “rules” to keep in mind for your event, and any others you may have on your calendar. Read More

Finish (and Start) Lines

If you are reading this you are likely contemplating start and finish lines—maybe while running a 5, 10 or 25 K. You have been putting in some miles, and the goals of starting and finishing a race are coming into focus. One thing that should accompany goal setting is a means to assess success—are we achieving what we set out to do? Sometimes our inability to come up with goals or a way to assess them paralyzes our thought process and keeps us from even getting started. Read More

Race Day Medical Information

You are almost there! Race day will be here soon and all of your hard work will pay off. Here are a few last minute UPDATED medical tips—read a few times! Read More

May 12, 2018

Online registration opens in October!

Visit us at the Grand Rapids Marathon Expo on 10/14.

Thank YOU!

Congratulations participants on finishing your 2017 event! Thank you, family, friends, volunteers and Grand Rapids to being a part on May 13 - the second Saturday in May.